I get this question all of the time. The question doesn’t come from people who mean ill. People just don’t really know what pastors do. Pastors are a weird bunch. We work all of the time and yet our job is completely flexible except for Sunday mornings. The jokes abound about only working one day a week for an hour a week and hopefully people know better. But it is a valid question…. What do you do???
I could easily hand them the four pages in the Book of Discipline (our United Methodist book o rules) that outlines what a job description could be although the end requirement is clear that any other duties are up for grabs in the church. The week is so varied and yet there are some threads that run between the days. Are you up for it? Want to delve into my schedule for a week?
First of all, you should know some basics of what I am supposed to be doing. If you would like to see the job description from the UMC here is a hint…
On top of that, there seem to be some differences between men and women. We have to name it. There isn’t supposed to be but I would argue we are still trying to figure out what to do with women clergy. On top of that, I am still considered a “young clergy.” I am under 35. Some of my schedule is universal and some incredibly unique to a few. On top of all of that, my family looks differently that technically doesn’t exist in the UMC AND I work in a church that is incredibly progressive and on the forefront of social justice issues in the town that I serve.
Living in Violet 